Clarksville, Ark.-Central Baptist College spoiled the Lady Eagles home opener by taking both games in their Friday non-conference double-header.
Central Baptist (17-5) broke open a 1-1 tie in the eighth with three home runs and seven runs to take a 8-1 victory in game one. The Mustangs came out on top 14-3 in game two.
Game one saw both starting pitchers fan a combined 17 batters to keep the game low scoring through seven innings. Central Baptist took advantage of an Ozarks’ error in the second inning to scratch across a run. The Lady Eagles had trouble generating any offense, striking out ten times in the game, but Ozarks (2-6) came through when it mattered most, scoring the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Nicole Ashley rocked a double to center field and eventually scored on an error. Another hit put runners on second and third with still one out. However, the Mustangs got back-to-back outs to end the rally and push the game into extra innings.
In an odd turn of events, the Mustangs turned a 1-1 game into a seven-run victory in the top of the eighth. Central Baptist homered three times and scored seven in the frame even though they totaled just four hits before that.
Stephany Henson (1-3) took the loss after tossing seven and two-third innings. She struck out seven.
In game two, the Mustangs jumped out to a 6-0 lead before the Lady Eagles stormed back in the second to cut it to 6-3. The two-out rally started when Kayla Harris reached base on a single, allowing Rebecca Groff to advance to second base. Groff, who reached on a fielder’s choice, crossed the plate along with Harris on a Danielle Dirks’ triple. Dirks would score on the same play as an errant Mustang throw to third sailed into foul territory.
The Mustangs, however, put runs on the board in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to put the game away.
Kaci Foster (1-2) took the loss.
Dirks, Ashley and Julie Wilkinson each went 2-for-4.
The Lady Eagles will host UT-Dallas in American Southwest Conference action Monday in a double-header starting at 2:00 p.m.
Topics: Athletics